


Smitten

by Shuufleur



Series: Bingo! [18]
Category: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Community: 100fandoms, Gen, Trope Bingo Round 12
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-26
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-05-20 08:49:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19373305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shuufleur/pseuds/Shuufleur
Summary: Miss Fisher asked Jack to come to her dressing room. What did she want?





	Smitten

**Author's Note:**

> A fill for the _AU: Alternante Professions_ square of the Trope Bingo Round 12 and the _game_ square of the 100 Fandoms Challenge.
> 
> I hope you like it!

Detective Inspector Jack Robinson didn’t usually hesitate when confronted to the unknown – situation or otherwise. In his line of work, hesitation could be fatal. It could let a criminal loose, or worse, lead to death, his or someone else’s.

In other words, Jack Robinson was not a coward. His current police captain and colleagues could attest to that. They would call him a hero, and his ex-wife a reckless fool.

And yet, we find Detective Inspector Jack Robinson staring at a door with a pinched expression as if it had personally offended him just for existing. Perhaps it did.

Truth be told, it wasn’t the door that brought such expression from the man but what was inside the room.

Behind this door lay Jack’s current nightmare – and guilty pleasure.

Miss Phryne Fisher, Jazz singer extraordinaire. Jack met her during one of his investigations. A man that she knew from her stay in France had tried to kill her during one of her shows.

Evidently, Jack, and his trusted companion, Hugh, arrested the man before he could do any more damage.

It wasn’t the reason why Jack felt like he was ready to enter the lion’s den. Over the course of the investigation, Miss Fisher had taken a mischievous pleasure in tormenting the policeman by flirting and admonishing him in turns.

This woman who could turn heads had decided to focus all her attention on Jack, who, despite his usual great restraint, couldn’t stop reacting from her wit. There was something with her that just tickled him the wrong way, or maybe the right way, he thought with a sigh, his cheeks heating a little at the memory of Miss Fisher’s radiant smile and wink directing at him while she was on stage.

Jack closed his eyes and shook his head, clearing his throat. He had been a soldier during the Great War, he was a policeman, he had been married once for God’s sake, he could very well face a woman, however charming she could be.

Jack took a deep breath, grabbed his hat and knocked on the damned door, dooming himself to what was going to happen next.

The door opened instantly, and a youthful and fair face came in front of Jack. Miss Fisher’s assistant.

“Miss Williams,” Jack greeted, slightly bowing his head, “Is Miss Fisher able to receive me?”

“Detective Inspector Robinson,” Miss Williams greeted as well in her usual soft voice, “please, come in. Miss Fisher has been waiting for you.”

Jack bowed his head again as a thank you and walked past Miss Williams, removing his hat. For a second, he thought the young woman had teased when his eyes fell on the empty chair in front of the dressing table. He quickly revised his judgement though as Miss Williams was not the kind of person to do these sorts of things.

Just when he was turning around to ask the young woman where the singer was, Jack spotted the unmistakable silhouette of Miss Fisher behind the screen located on the far left of the room. Jack felt his cheeks flush with heat at this suggestive shadow.

Averting his eyes, he cleared his throat, hands clenching reflexively on his hat.

Then, he heard the door close and realized that Miss Williams left them alone.

“Miss Fisher, I believe you wanted me to come, and I came.”

Miss Fisher seemed to gasp, before replying: “Oh, I didn’t hear you coming, Detective Inspector.”

Jack rolled his eyes, unwittingly relaxing as Miss Fisher observed her usual antics.

“Even though you asked for my presence?” He said, casually walking to one of the free chairs, putting his hat on the side table. Incidentally, it made him face away from the screen.

Jack saw a movement from the corner of the eye, heard some rustling and Miss Fisher’s voice, slightly hoarse from singing all evening.

“That’s right. I wanted to talk to you about something.”

As if she was still on stage, Miss Fisher appeared, her back leaning gracefully against the edge of the screen. Her head was turned towards him, her short black hair a little disheveled. She had a light smile, bordering on a smirk, on her still bright red lips. She knew what she was doing.

Jack could feel his cheeks heat at the sight of Miss Fisher’s state of dress. She wasn’t in her undergarment but the robe she put on didn’t leave a lot to the imagination. The red satin, an almost perfect match to Miss Fisher’s lipstick, glimmered and rustled softly in Jack’s ears. The intricate lace on the edge of the lapels highlighted Miss Fisher’s fair skin. The three-quartered sleeves showed off Miss Fisher’s thin forearms and long hands. She had her nails polished in red up to the tip, which was left bare. Although the robe was of usual length, it didn’t hide much of Miss Fisher’s calves and slippers.

“Detective Inspector, if you’re being so forward, let’s skip all the niceties and get right to it!” Miss Fisher exclaimed with a pleased smile, startling Jack out of his observation.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Miss Fisher, I shouldn’t have…” Jack started, flushed with shame at his inappropriate behavior with a woman, however frank and forward-thinking she could be herself.

“No need to apologize. I believe I was the one to start this conversation.”

Jack apologized again and her smile softened, losing its teasing edge. He smiled in return, although it was short and weak.

“Do you want a drink, Detective Inspector?” Miss Fisher asked suddenly, walking to the tray with a few bottles of alcohol and not waiting for an answer.

“Miss Fisher…”

“Scotch?” She asked instead, showing him the bottle.

“Miss Fisher, please.”

She poured the drinks anyway and gave one of the glasses to Jack. He sighed, starting to feel exasperated. He wasn’t in the mood to play games. If she had nothing to tell him, he would rather go home and get a good night sleep.

“Miss Fisher,” Jack said again when she sat down. “Why did you ask me here?”

She looked at him pensively, the rim of the glass on her lips.

“Can’t I enjoy an evening with a friend?” She asked. She took a sip of her drink, her eyes still focused on Jack.

“I’m the policeman who solved your case, Miss Fisher, and perhaps sometimes a victim of your jest.”

Jack smiled a little sarcastically and took a sip of his drink as well. At least, Miss Fisher always chose well her alcohol.

“Oh, Inspector, stop flattering me.” Miss Fisher replied with an amused smile. “And you’re no victim, Mr. Robinson. I believe you’re more than capable of… defending yourself against a poor defenseless woman.”

Jack almost snorted in his drink.

“Defenseless isn’t the word I would use when referring to you,” he said, his lips turning up a little despite himself.

Miss Fisher shrugged, her expression amused, but stayed silent. Her eyes strayed inside her glass and stilled for a few seconds.

Jack frowned, concerned about the unusual silence Miss Fisher was displayed.

“Miss Fisher?”

Her eyelids fluttered as if she was waking from a sleep. She looked at Jack and smiled reassuringly.

“Are you alright?”

“Of course. I’m just tired.”

She said that but Jack could feel there was something else. He wanted to ask but he wasn’t sure if it would be well-received. After all, despite what Miss Fisher had said, they weren’t friends. Although, Jack wouldn’t mind knowing Miss Fisher better. He briefly closed his eyes, admonishing himself for having such thoughts about the singer.

“Well, I should probably leave you to it then. I don’t want you to fall over on-stage tomorrow because I made you stay up late.”

Jack put his unfinished glass on the tray and stood. Miss Fisher opened her mouth as if she was going to say something but revised herself at the last moment.

“Good night Detective Inspector Robinson,” she finally said with a tilt of her head.

“Jack,” he said, grabbing his hat and propping it on his head. At Miss Fisher’s surprised gaze, he added: “You should call me Jack if we are going to be friends.”

The smile Miss Fisher sent him made his heart flutter. It wasn’t the bright and shiny smile she reserved for the stage, but rather the smile she usually gave Miss Williams. For the third time this evening, Jack felt his cheeks heat a little. It was getting embarrassing at this point.

“Good night, then, Jack.”

Jack tipped his hat and was heading for the door when Miss Fisher called him. He turned around to face her.

“If you are free, would you be willing to see my set tomorrow night? I’ll prepare something special just for you.”

Jack hesitated. He knew the kind of woman Miss Fisher was, and, even though he wasn’t one to judge, he wasn’t sure he wanted to bet his heart on this matter.

“Forget it,” Miss Fisher said then, when Jack didn’t answer fast enough, or maybe it was his expression. “You’re probably busy at this time of night with a wife or the job.”

She didn’t seem jealous, just disappointed, and Jack wondered why on earth would be she disappointed that he was not available. She had all the most handsome men at her feet. Why would she want a simple Detective Inspector who tried so hard to resist her charms?

Or maybe that was the point. Maybe it was just a game for her.

Jack took a deep breath and said: “I will come. I have no wife waiting for me at home, and the job isn’t going to miss me.”

Miss Fisher lowered slightly her head as if she was trying to hide her face.

“Very well. See you tomorrow night, Jack.”

“Good night Miss Fisher.”

At the look she sent him, Jack chuckled and amended.

“Good night… Phryne.”

Finally, he turned around and left Phryne’s dress room, already thinking of the next time he was going to see her again.


End file.
